This invention relates to a perch for a bird feeder and more particularly to a perch which discriminates between large and small birds such that large birds will slide off the perch and not be able to gain access to the feed within the feeder, while small birds will be able to alight thereon and successfully obtain feed in the desired manner.
Many bird feeders are known which include perches for birds to alight upon while gaining access to the feed held within the feed container. On such popular feeder is a clear plastic tubular device including pairs of offset feed openings surrounded by metal rings or protective flanges which in turn include outwardly extending perches. Such feeders are sold under various model designations including A-6 and B-7 from Droll Yankees, Inc., Mill Road, Foster, R.I. 02825. In some versions of this type feeder, the metal ring includes a downwardly extending portion from which the perch outwardly extends. The perch construction of the present invention is particularly adapted as a replacement for the perch in these aforementioned feeders, although the subject perch has even wider utility.
A drawback of the perch structure of the aforementioned type feeder construction is that it permits feeding of both large and small birds alike. Although these feeders are specially constructed and dimensioned such that very large birds will not be able to easily alight on a perch and feed within the adjacent feed opening or the next higher or lower opening, many birds are willing to attempt such and not only are occasionally successful but also can discourage the feeding of other more desirable species and spill feed by shaking the container or otherwise become a nuisance. Thus it would be desirable to be able to modify such bird feeders and to provide a perch on these and other feeder types which will discriminate between large and small birds. Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to devise a perch which will permit small birds to alight thereon and feed from an adjacent feed opening yet will cause larger birds to slide therefrom or otherwise be unable to grasp the perch and thus effectively be discouraged from repeated perch attempts.
These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by a bird perch adapted for use with bird feeders of the type having at least one feed opening extending through a substantially vertically disposed wall thereof, said perch outwardly extending from said wall at a point substantially in line with and beneath said opening, said perch comprising a hollow, straight cylindrical, wound wire coil having first and second terminal ends with said first end positioned in a perch opening extending through said wall and said second end terminating at a position spaced from said wall to define the lateral extent of said perch, said perch being of a diameter easily grasped by perching birds and further being easily bendable such that large birds will cause the wire to bend downward and cause such birds to slide off while small birds will not cause the wire to bend substantially downward.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawing.